Building rollercoasters, hosting carousels, and serving hot dogs is always a blast, but the real magic in tycoon games and theme park simulations happens when they take players on a journey like no other. Consider Jurassic World Evolution, which adds a thrilling prehistoric twist to the traditional park setup. But now, there’s a new game on the horizon called Mars Attracts that could just be the most quirky and unusual theme park sim we’ll see in 2025. And guess what? You’ll get a sneak peek at it pretty soon!
Earlier this year, Gamescom gave us a first glimpse of Mars Attracts, and it certainly left many of us thinking, “What on earth – or should I say, what on Mars?” This intriguing title is shaping up to be one of the craziest PC games of the coming year, delivering a Planet Coaster-esque experience, but with a Martian twist. It’s based on a largely forgotten intellectual property that harks back to a Hollywood flop from the late ‘90s. Mars Attacks was a star-studded black comedy about an alien invasion, and it’s quite unexpected to see it resurrected after 25 years in the form of a theme park sim. Strange, right?
Don’t let the film’s reputation fool you, though. Mars Attracts isn’t doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Here, you’re tasked with crafting a theme park tailored for Martian visitors. While there are rides to entertain them, the main attractions are the human exhibits – yes, you read that right. This time, humans are the stars of the show.
Your task? Abduct these unsuspecting humans from various eras in history—imagine snagging people straight from Ancient Rome or the Wild West. Each human is unique, which means you’ll need to design captivity enclosures that fit their specific quirks—because, let’s face it, a delicate Martian glass case isn’t going to cut it for containing those feisty Roman gladiators.
Once captured, you have a choice: make their stay a pleasant one or give them a bit of a scare—and yes, there might be some probing involved. Either way, your alien visitors will be thoroughly entertained.
Of course, building the ultimate Martian theme park isn’t all fun and games; there’s serious management involved. The gameplay loop feels familiar for fans of tycoon games, but since it’s still early days and we’ve only seen a teaser trailer, there could be plenty of surprises waiting to be discovered.
If you’re keen to help Outlier, the game’s developer, in creating not just a standout management sim but one that’s delightfully eccentric, you have the chance to join its first playtest happening soon.
The closed alpha test for Mars Attracts kicks off on Wednesday, December 4. For those eager to play the full game, its early access release is slated for sometime in 2025.
If you’re a fan of crafting and construction, do check out our guide to the best building games out there. And if you enjoy games that challenge your management and multitasking prowess, our lists of top strategy games might have just what you’re looking for.
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